Kickstarter Loves Potato Salad, But Not Military Kids

Author and military advocate asks why Kickstarter gave the boot to 6 million military kids on Veterans Day

"I don’t see how crop rotation is creative but giving children the tools to engage in their school community is not.” Gretchen Martens

Kudos to Zach Brown and his quirky potato salad campaign that raised $55,492 on Kickstarter in August 2014 for a $10 pitch to, basically, well, make potato salad. Social media is not like Ebola. You never know what goes viral.

What 6 million military and veteran kids deserve to know is why Kickstarter would not give Americans the opportunity on Veterans Day to donate to a cause that would make elementary schools more welcoming. “The 6 Million Kids Campaign meets their rules point by point,” says author and nationally known military transition expert Gretchen Martens, affectionately known as The Veteran Lady. “Other approved campaigns, including a staff pick, were very similar in design.”

Ms. Martens is correct on this point. “Crab and Will, A Tale of Shakespeare’s Dog” was a staff pick at Kickstarter; it raised money to put books addressing the needs of abused kids in school libraries. “The Journal Newspaper” was approved to raise money for a school newspaper for kids to share their stories. Kickstarter co-founder Yancy Strickler himself funded “Micro-Dairy Teaching Farm.”

According to emails sent to Ms. Martens by Kickstarter, the 6 Million Kids Campaign was first rejected on the basis that it didn’t “create something to be shared with others.” After appealing the rejection, Kickstarter rejected the campaign again, this time citing that a campaign couldn’t “raise money for charities.” When asked to respond, Martens said, “I come from a farming family. I love crop rotation as much as the next person but I don’t see how that is creative but giving children the tools to engage in their school community is not.”

Yancy Strickler’s LinkedIn profile states, “We’re always looking for talented and passionate people to be a part of Kickstarter.” Gretchen Martens is one of the most passionate, articulate people you will ever meet. So, the question for Kickstarter staff remains, “What is it that Kickstarter doesn’t like about military kids?”

Fortunately for America’s 6 million military and veteran children, GoFundMe likes military kids. The campaign is live on their website, as well as the Campaign website of the same name.